The Spanish Bread That Is All Filipino

     Spanish bread is a mainstay Filipino style bread made of sweet dough and filled with butter and sugar and then rolled in fine bread crumbs. Both low-end and high-end bakeries all over the country offer this variety. It is a favorite breakfast or merienda item paired with coffee.  This is an easy recipe to master and doesn't need much tweaking. For an authentic panaderia take, try using non-refrigerated margarine in place of butter in the dough as well as the filling.  

Spanish Bread

Ingredients

Dough

375 grams bread flour

125 grams all-purpose flour

8 grams instant yeast

100 grams refined sugar

7 grams salt

30 grams milk powder

2 whole eggs

150 ml cold water

70 grams unsalted butter

fine breadcrumbs for rolling dough

Filling

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup softened butter

Instructions

1. In a mixer bowl, combine bread flour, all-purpose flour, powdered milk, yeast, sugar and salt. 

2. Add eggs and cold water and mix on the lowest speed of the mixer.

3. Switch  to medium-low speed and continue mixing until the dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl.

4. Add butter and mix until you get a smooth and glossy dough about 12 to 15 minutes.

5. Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with cling wrap or kitchen towel.

6. Let dough rest for an hour or until the size is doubled. Meanwhile, mix all filling ingredients. Set aside. 

7. Punch down dough to release air. Divide dough into 60 gram portions and round them into balls. Let  rest for 10 minutes covered with a towel.

8.  Flatten dough into a 4 x 6 inch rectangle. Spread a tablespoon of filling and roll up into a log. 

9.  Roll logs in bread crumbs and place in parchment lined baking sheets.

10. Let rise until they double in size about an hour or so.

11. While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 350°F.

12. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on wire racks.